Sunday, December 20, 2009

Zeppelin!


There's a zeppelin, yes zeppelin --- not a blimp!
in the Bay Area...
You can fly in it too. Just call the upside-down phone number in the picture!


"three if by air"

An old shot of one of my favorites...

Friday, November 20, 2009

Veteran's Day


The Sun is already very low in the West now when Emirates takes off from San Francisco for Dubai. Veteran's Day 2009.
Lufthansa leaves much earlier in the day...
This veteran 737 has been around a long time...
B733-3G7, s/n 23781, built in 1988.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

November 3, 2009


Emirates must have needed more seats on the SFO run.
They are now flying the Boeing 777-300ER into San Francisco.
"Speedbird" climbs off Ry28R. The hangars with the two United tails sticking out are the old B29 hangars, built for B29 bombers of WWII.



United 747's. You just have to love this!

Friday, October 30, 2009

United Flight 737


United Airlines last B737 revenue flight,
United 737, LAX to SFO, landed on runway 28L just before sunset.
October 28, 2009
N331UA
Boeing 737-322
s/n 24192 built 1988
The flight was greeted by a double watercannon salute,
one salute to honor the retiring Captain,
the other to honor the retiring Boeing 737 fleet....

On the following day, Thursday, October 29, this aircraft as well as N334UA were flown from KSFO to KVCV, Victorville, CA. to be put into long term storage.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

The President came to town.


October 15, 2009
S29000 (Sam twenty-nine thousand) at KSFO shortly after the presidential motorcade took President Obama up to the City.

This plane is only called "Air Force One" when the President is on board.


Two Alaskas land almost at the same time...



EVA takes off for Taipei.
Heavy today. Look at how much the wing bends!


Early on Oct. 16 Sam 29000 waits for the President as fog rolls in from the Bay.



Sunday, October 11, 2009

End of an airliner



Boeing 767 construction number 23432 was delivered to All Nippon Airlines in 1986, flying passengers until 2003 with the registration JA8252. The B767-281 was then converted into a freighter and delivered to ABX Air as N799AX in DHL paint scheme in 2004. On June 28, 2008 the aircraft was loaded for a flight from San Francisco to Wilmington, Ohio. The doors were closed and the flightcrew were getting ready to start engines when the first officer heard a "pop" and "hissing" in the compartment behind the cockpit. The crew discovered the fire and immediately called the ground controller to request the fire department and began the fire and evacuation checklist. The fire was in the compartment where the main cabin doors are, so the crew had to escape out the cockpit windows. Airport Fire put the fire out, but the aircraft was declared a total loss.


09/16/2009
The aircraft has been stored in a remote corner of Plot 41 for several months. The engines were removed shortly after the fire.
09/22/2009
Dismantling has begun. Notice that the nose gear doors are gone.
09/23/2009
Work continues as reusable parts are removed from the aircraft.
09/29/2009
The salvage crew has finished their work. All the good parts are gone. They even took the front door. The trailer containing all the salvaged parts is gone.
09/30/2009
The Fire Department uses the hulk for practice cutting rescue holes in the fuselage.
10/02/2009
The plane is broken up and stuffed into dumpsters.
10/06/2009
Job finished. Only two dumpsters left to haul away.
10/07/2009....

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Blue Angels at SFO

Blue Angel 7 takes some lucky media person for a ride!


The diamond formation ready for takeoff .
These guys are just plain awesome!
October 7, 2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Wunala Dreaming

September 9, 2009

Qantas' "Wunala Dreaming" squeezed in between two Virgins at the International Terminal during her stay on a trip from Sydney.

N330UA delivered 10-6-1988

A colorful Lear Jet on a windy September afternoon.
This LR35 was built in 1979.

The oldest one seen so far today, this BE99 hauling cargo for Ameriflight was built in 1968.
They are arriving from Sacramento or Reno.

N306SW, B737-3H4 s/n 22946 built in 1985.
Oakland airport and the summit of Mt. Diablo in the background.


N934WN, B737-7H4 delivered on 04-28-2009.
Brand new!

See Ya later!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

September KSFO

Cloaking device off!
Early morning arrival from the Far East
N180UA




N375UA
Boeing 733-322
s/n 24640
1989
PORTE3.WAGES.AVE.J1.LAX

N328UA outbound for LAX.
Boeing 737-322
s/n 24148
2-GE CFM56-3 engines.
Aircraft manufactured in 1988

N414WN
Boeing 737-7H4, s/n 29820, 2001
CFM 56-7b Turbojet engines.
22000 lbs thrust.
A pristine Southwest B737 taxies in from RY28L.